The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

The one-man
army known as Watchman goes deep into Russia to protect a former KGB officer
who plans to advocate for a friendlier stance toward the United States.

The story
opens with a bang as Marc Portman, code name Watchman, rescues Katarina da
Costa, the daughter of a tough Mexican judge, from kidnappers, leaving behind a
trail of dead criminals. Scarcely has this successful one-man mission ended
when Portman is called into a CIA front office for another, in which repeated
shifts to the third person will counterpoint Watchman’s punchy first-person
narrative. Steely State Department senior analyst Angela Thornbury dispatches
Portman on behalf of former KGB officer Leonid Tzorekov, now a Russian banker based
in London, who’s apparently been the target of several assassination attempts
that may have been provoked by suspicions that he was trying to influence
Putin. Meanwhile, in Russia, officials debate the loyalty of Tzorekov, who is
reportedly “coming home.” As Watchman proceeds with the mission, Thornbury
keeps second-guessing herself, constantly checking in with CIA handlers Sewell
and Callahan about Watchman’s trustworthiness. Much speculation also centers on
the allegiances of Tzorekov’s handsome bodyguard, Arkady Gurov, who “looks like
a ballet dancer.” All of which sets the table for the nonstop action to come. A
complicated ambush involves suspicious aircraft thwarted by inclement weather.
Tzorekov and Gurov take refuge in a remote cabin with Watchman only a beat or
two behind and various villains also in pursuit.

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